The 8th edition of Isola Design Festival, which explores the theme This Future is Currently Unavailable this year, sees more than 320 international designers, design studios, creators and manufacturers participating in over 60 locations across Milan. Taking over new locations, including Lampo Milano, WAO PL7 and Galleria Bonelli, the festival is transforming the vibrant neighbourhood into a hub for creativity and innovation.

‘This Future is Currently Unavailable is not just a tagline, but a call to action and reflection,’ says Gabriele Cavallaro, co-founder and CEO of Isola Design Group. ‘The idea came during our adventurous travels to global design events, sparking a vision of the immense potential within our design community. This year, Isola is on a journey to prove that design is more than just sustainability, it’s a powerhouse for tackling real-world issues. Picture it like this, a travelling hub of exciting, curated, and innovative design initiatives. We’re not just building a community, we’re setting the stage for the future of design!’

To move towards the future, designers must embrace experimentation and collaboration across all fields and disciplines, seek innovative solutions, and keep in mind that design should collectively impact the planet and humanity. By bringing together designers from diverse backgrounds and nationalities, the event will inspire a holistic approach that transcends borders and traditional ways of seeing design. Highlighting forward-looking proposals that mix innovation, sustainability and craftsmanship, Isola unites diverse fields, showcasing the potential face of this industry in the years ahead.

At the core of the vaste programme of Isola Design Festival 2024 are three main hubs, Lampo Milano, WAO PL7, and Stecca 3.0, and five shows curated by Isola’s curatorial team led by Elif Resitoglu (creative director of Isola Design Group) and guest curators. A new urban redevelopment project spanning an area of 40.000 sq m within the historic railway yard, Lampo Milano will be the backdrop of two main exhibitions: Isola Design Gallery, focusing on collectible design, as well as Is One Life Enough?, featuring a curated selection of collectible pieces and market-ready products crafted using sustainable materials and circular methods.

Other venues include the recently established WAO PL7 on Via Luigi Porro Lambertenghi, which will be hoe to a craft show entitled Disclosure: Design Studios Unveiled. Five design studios will be creating a temporary atelier to showcase their work and offer live demonstrations, providing visitors with a raw and interactive glance at the process of crafting design products. Among the participating designers are IAMMI, Yu Watanabe and Shailesh Rajput Studio, as well as many more, including ecoLogicStudio who will take over the entrance hall by recreating a living indoor space to present the PhotoSynthetica Collection.

Isola is the world’s first digital and physical platform giving visibility to independent designers, connecting them to design professionals, companies, curators, journalists and potential clients. A dedicated curatorial team selects projects with a focus on sustainability, innovation and handcraft.

Address:

Isola Design District, Via Valtellina 5, 20158, Milan

General opening Mon 15th – Sun 21st

Exhibition hours

Mon 15th 14:00-19:00

Tues 16th – Sat 20th 10:00—19:00

Sun 10:00—15:00